The Bull

Westfield in London. Have you ever been?

I had no idea the calibre of the shops and restaurants housed there. It has everything you could ever imagine and certainly rivals the malls I’m used to in America.

Naturally, I was instantly drawn in. As a self professed shopping addict, how had we never visited before? However, it wasn’t a trip for shopping... this time. Just off the Shepard’s Bush tube stop, you’ll find a stretch of restaurants running parallel to the shopping centre.

This was a night all about eating. Join me with a visit to the newly refurbished and revamped, The Bull.

I went in without expectations so I was pretty much blown away when we stepped inside. Two stories, a mixture of split level hangouts, two fully stocked bars on each level, tables everywhere.

Needless to say, it was packed. I was so glad we had a table ready.

The interior features a mixture of modern with rustic. Decor is complete with quirky trinkets and aged wooden tables. (The inner home designer in me was in major decor envy. I love the unrefined grain in the tables!) And it’s got a cosy at home vibe that suites almost any occasion. A couple next to us was on a first date and behind us was a big group of old friends catching up.

We instantly felt at home. So the first thing we had to do was order a bottle of wine. We asked for recommendations and went with this bottle of Sauvignon Blanc.

It was a light, fruity and smooth white wine.

We moved onto starters, smoked salmon and mashed avocado on an English muffin and Oysters Rockefeller.

The smoked salmon was incredible. And well, you can always win me over with avocado.

And the Oysters Rockefeller? This was my subtle way of preparing Joe for the real thing.

Oysters baked in a half shell with spinach, butter and garlic topped with breadcrumbs. It’s just as good as it sounds, maybe better. The Bull definitely features an eclectic menu.

And then we moved onto our mains. Joe had the Flat Iron steak with chips and greens.

For me? The Clam Cannelloni. I keep pronouncing it as cannoli, which is apparently completely acceptable and encouraged.

Gooey, glorious goodness. I’ve never had anything quite like it before. The extensive menu options are surprising and differ from typical ‘pub’ food.

We both finished our plates… again. Don’t judge us, it was great and we were hungry.

Despite polishing off two courses, when dessert is offered.. yeah, we went for it. I wasn’t craving much, but our waitress suggested something small would do the trick.

Salted Caramel doughnuts.

I cannot possibly remember the last time I ate a doughnut. And these were a good reintroduction to them. Yum. I like how The Bull have dessert taster items. It’s a nice choice for someone craving something sweet, but not overly filling or indulgent.

Joe on the other hand, went full out with a baked Alaska. Ever heard of one before? I hadn’t until The Bull. A brownie, topped with vanilla ice cream and meringue. Pop it in the oven for a delicious mix of a hot and cold dessert.

Alright, so the meringue didn’t photograph well, but it passed the taste test brilliantly.

We even had a bit of a wander before we left…

Pretty full for a Wednesday, right? There weren’t too many spare seats to be found, but standing room works too when you’re in the mood for an afterwork drink or two. And when the warmer weather rolls around, I can imagine the outside will continue to be brimming with Londoners.

Overall, I’m definitely singing The Bull’s praises for our evening spent tasting their menu. The food was great and the service brilliant. It’s a really friendly place and I would definitely stop back in the next time I’m at Westfield. Which reminds me, I really need to head over for a shopping trip….

Kelly xoxo